Are you suggesting that hockey players check themselves into a penalty box when they make an infraction?
Are you saying they shouldn't?
I've been playing hockey for 15+ years, in my opinion sports such as hockey are governed by the refs. If a ref decides to not enforce a rule, full advantage is taken of it without question. If one of my team members behaved the way you suggest, they would be finding a new team each season.
Should sailing be that way? I am nt suggesting that.
That's an interesting comparison...the same is true of most team sports where you have active refereeing. Sailing, for the most part, is a self-policing sport so I think that carries a different expectation.
I would bet, however, that the collegiate team racing follows a similar penalty behavior as hockey and other team sports...it probably has more to do with the individual competitor aspect. I can't think of another individual competitor sport that has the need for a similar degree of rules and limitations as sailing other than automotive racing and the under-way rules there are a bit more simple.
Team racing is different from hockey in that we are umpires NOT referees. What I mean by that, is that as umpires we only make a call if there is a valid protest hail from a boat, then a request for an umpire decision. The process goes:
1. Protest is hailed
2. Protesting boat must give protested boat time to complete a one turn penalty
3. If protested boat decides not to spin, protesting boat requests an umpire decision
4. Umpire gives a decision, which can result in a two turn penalty.
The way the penalty system works in team racing, there is still an emphasis on self-policing. If you admit a foul and spin right away, it is only one turn, but if you wait for an umpire you face a two turn penalty. On the course that extra turn is a game changer.
